DE 101 36438 A1 discloses a sensor arrangement in a roller bearing which is suitable for ascertaining physical variables during the motion of a component which is guided in the roller bearing. In this sensor arrangement, the forces and moments acting on the bearing rings of the roller bearing are recorded such that the mechanical stresses or other physical influences on the bearing rings can be ascertained using sensor elements and electronic chips integrated in the bearing rings. In this case, the sensors are in the form of expansion measuring strips which are preferably mounted in a groove at the circumference of the stationary bearing ring, the latter being able to be in the form of an inner or outer bearing ring of a roller bearing. In line with this document, the expansion measuring resistors can be mounted via an insulating layer on a metal intermediate support, such as a board. In this case, a further support material, in a form of a circuit carrier, surrounds the intermediate support with the expansion measuring resistors and is used to hold electronic chips and conductor tracks. To mount the circuit camera and the intermediate support with the expansion measuring resistors in the groove in the roller bearing, they are press-fitted into it or welded on. In addition, DE 101 36438 A1 discloses that the expansion measuring resistors can be mounted on the metal intermediate support in an axially and tangentially measuring full or half bridge circuit. In addition, this document discloses that the electronic chips are used for signal evaluation and signal transmission to further measuring points or other evaluation circuits or to a connector. In this case, the signal transmission in this known measuring bearing can take place serially via a digital or analog bus which is arranged in a motor vehicle, for example.
Although this known measuring bearing has a comparatively high and also very advantageous level of integration on account of the arrangement of expansion measuring strips and electronic chips in a cutout in the groove in the bearing ring, a relatively wide groove is required for this design. Hence, the usable area for the sensor is too small or reduced in relation to the width of the groove. Since the groove in such a bearing ring needs to be kept as small as possible, however, in order to avoid weakening components, it is less likely that the arrangement known from DE 101 36 438 A1 will be turned into a commercially viable product. This technical problem also arises with roller bearings which have a very narrow axis, in particular.